ACKWEST Buys MySoapBox Panel as ISA Exits

ACKWEST Group, the holding company recently formed by MR industry veterans Hugh Davis and Keith Price, has acquired the consumer panel assets of MySoapBox from Interviewing Services of America (ISA), which in turn is to exit the first-party panel business. The buy boosts ACKWEST's existing TestSet panel.

Based in West Palm Beach, Florida, ACKWEST was founded by Greenfield Online, reInvention and Critical Mix founders Davis and Price, with the stated intention of 'promoting companies which create uncorrupted, unbiased and human-verified data for reliable business intelligence'. The company, which already holds a stake in first party data specialist TestSet, recently acquired Toluna's Precision Sample unit.

ISA's panel will be 'phased out in the next several months', according to the firms. ACKWEST says MySoapBox has 'a long-standing reputation for its high-quality data, robust user engagement, and exceptional response rates' and believes the integration will enhance its ability to provide 'reliable access to diverse, high-quality audiences worldwide.'

Michael Sanfelippo (pictured), Operating Partner at ACKWEST Group & TestSet President, adds: 'Combining MySoapBox's engaged panelists with our AI-driven tech platform allows us to target and engage audiences more effectively. At the core of this is our commitment to treating each panel member with care and respect to ensure the reliability of our data solutions.'

ISA Vice President Dan Parcon comments: 'We have decided to exit the first-party panel business for strategic reasons and are excited to partner with ACKWEST to provide our engaged panelists with an opportunity to continue contributing to meaningful consumer research.'

Web site: www.ackwest.com .